Wednesday 21:29

Going

Soft, Good to Soft in Places (GoingStick: 6.5 on Wednesday at 07:00)

Temperatures remained above freezing overnight.
Forecast: Wednesday: Plenty of cloud with cold NE winds. Wintry showers at times. Daytime high of 3. Overnight frost with a low of -1. Thursday: Cloudy with sunny spells, max temp of 3.
Take off and landings have been covered since Monday.

PRECAUTIONARY INSPECTION 8.00AM - THURSDAY

08:00 The good news is the temperatures did not fall below freezing overnight, the bad news is there is a dusting of snow covering the course - officials are currenly inspecting.

Our selections are:-

08:16 No great surprise the inspection was inconclusive. There will be another inspection at 10:00.

08:19 Quote from clerk of the course Andrew Morris, "We wouldn't be raceable at the moment, but we wouldn't need to see a great deal of improvement.

"We're optimistic at this stage and will give the meeting every chance."

10:01 It looks as though it is going to be one of those days as Huntingdon announces a third inspection at 11:30.

10:13 Clerk of the course Andrew Morris is still hopeful.

He said: "Things have improved, but temperatures have been slow to climb through the morning.

"They are starting to rise now so we are optimistic, but we do still need to see some improvement."

11:30 Good morning from Huntingdon where racing goes ahead, which I have to confess came as something of a shock as I am sure I walked through some frosty patches coming across the car park and unless I am seeing things there are some lumpy white patches on the course.

11:41 The official going is Soft

11:42 There are quite a few trainers and jockeys out having a very close look at the track and in particular the take-off and landings.

12:22 To give an idea of how the track may ride one of the Racetech camera vans has just had to be towed into position by a tractor after getting bogged down.

12:32 We have out first non-runner, Bothy (who may well have been sent off favourite) is out of the 15:10 due to travel problems.

12:42 Now here is something unusual - Tony McCoy has been "jocked off" a ride - Ruby Walsh will now ride Sang Bleu in the 15:10

12:55 Anybody thinking of going to Ayr tomorrow had best make other plans - it's off!!

12:56 The sun is out now, still a cold breeze though.

13:27 Our opening contest is the 3m 2f TurfTV.co.uk Handicap Hurdle with nine going to post.

In the parade ring Immense has to be the most relaxed runner I have seen in a long while,

14:00 It is a cliché but also a truism that a horse needs to be able to jump to win a contest over obstacles and it was perfectly illustrated in our opening contest.

Immense had taken the lead two out but then clouted the flight, almost coming down, allowing the joint favourite Sona Sasta in front.

It says a great deal for Immense’s ability that he was able to recover from the mistake and to be closing on Sona Sasta on the line failing to perform a miraculous recovery by only half a length.

Mr Mackay and Paddy’s Tern  set the pace for most of the contest, the latter holding the lead until the end of the back straight for the final time, at which point Sona Sasta had taken up the running.

However the lead was short lived as by two out Immense had poached the lead.

Mr Mackay was still thereabouts in third, whilst the very well backed I’ve Been Framed (9/2 into 11/4 joint favouritism) had made progress into fourth spot without ever looking to be a serious threat.

14:05 The extended 2m 4f Racing UK The UK’s Best Racecourses Handicap Chase is our second contest in which 12 go to the start, although in the parade ring South Bank was doing his utmost to get rid of Andrew Thornton.

14:33 Plenty of drama in the opening chase with Mr Newton, either by design or accident, being left 15 lengths behind the others at the start then not jumping the first few fences that well.

Up front it was a three way go with Pasdelou, Alfarix and Porta Vogie all vying for the lead.

Well it was a three way go until fence seven where Pasdelou took a crashing fall. The horse was quickly up but rider Andrew Tinkler was still being treated in a circuits time resulting in the final fence being omitted. Tinkler did eventually walk away but he is missing the next race and I suspect the remainder of the afternoon.

Alfatrix was done no favours by the fall and this allowed King Jack to hit the front as they passed the post going out for their final circuit.

King Jack was never headed thereafter, although Tuskar Rock did have a good pop at the leader two out.

However it was the initially recalcitrant Mr Newton who had made steady, almost unnoticed, progress to be a serious contender by the time they passed the omitted final fence.

Mr Newton continued to run on up the run-in coming within three parts of a length of the eventual winner.

14:35 A 3m chase, the Huntingdon Novices’ Handicap Chase is next up with eleven contenders.

15:03 More drama at what is the last fence, also the first in this fence as Khumbu falls bringing down Darn Hot in the process, resulting in the fence being omitted on the next two circuits, although both horses and riders were OK.

After that mêlée Pheidias and Prof de L’Isle shared the early lead although by the time they completed their first circuit The Shy Man had joined in the fray.

Traversing the back straight for the final time the outsider Costa Courta had come up to be the challenger to The Shy Man.

Three out The Shy Man fell but was beginning to drop back at the time, leaving Costa Courta in front with Reblis the challenger, although Ringaroses, who has been out of form of late, had made steady progress into third.

By the time they turned for home there were only four who could win. Costa Courta , who was running the race of his life, the resurgent Ringaroses, along with Reblis and Sarde.

Passing the omitted last fence Tony McCoy pushed Ringaroses into the lead and it was race over.

15:05 Our feature race is the Freebets.co.uk Chatteris Fen Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle with only five going to post.

The jockey change is Ruby Walsh replaces Tony McCoy on Sang Bleu.

15:33 This morning when he woke up Ruby Walsh was looking forward to a days racing in Thurles in Ireland, instead he ended up jocking AP McCoy off Paul Nicholls Sang Bleu in this contest at Huntingdon.

If he thought it was going to be an easy ride he was very much mistaken as he had to fight really hard to claim a half length victory.

Stars Du Granits, second favourite, set out to make all under Aiden Coleman, with Walsh happy to settle Sang Bleu in second spot, occasionally sharing that spot with Nicky Nutjob.

Bomber Brown and Classically always filling the last two places.

Sang Bleu put in a couple of sloppy jumps down the back straight allowing Nicky Nutjob to take clear second place at one point.

However as they turned out of the back straight the odds-on favourite was back in second and soon challenging the leader.

This is where the script says Sang Bleu should have run on but Stars De Granits had not read the script and he stayed upsides the jolly.

Approaching the second last the two front runners were well clear of the other three but both were under pressure from their riders.

Sang Bleu had a narrow lead coming out of the second last but Stars De Granits was not going to go away.

They were level again jumping the last and battle was joined up the run-in.

Walsh managed to grab the stands rail and that may just have been enough to give him the edge, with Sang Bleu just grabbing victory by half-a-length.

Ruby Walsh said the winner is still babyish and the Triumph Hurdle is not guaranteed. Walsh says he will be a much better chaser and he is looking forward to riding him over fences.      

15:40 The Turf TV Betting Shop Service Handicap Hurdle is next an extended 2m 4f contest with 12 runners.

15:59 Favourite backers did not have to wait too long to learn their fate as Galoshes unseated he rider at the fourth flight, when hearer last than first.

Up front Stage Acclaim was setting the pace with the erratic Munster Pride occasionally joining in the fray, the latter being let down by some rather iffy jumping.

As they turned for home Stage Acclaim still had a very decent lead and it seemed the front running tactics may just succeed.

However challengers were emerging and especially Good For Blue and The Brimmer who were both making eye catching progress.

Two out Good For Blue had taken up the running although Stage Acclaim turned out to be another one who was not going to be denied.

Good For Blue was running on well approaching the last and he jumped it clear of Stage Acclaim.

It seemed Stage Acclaim was going to be the only threat to Good For Blue but Oliver Greenall launched a late challenge on Cadoudalas.

16:02 The Racing UK Open Hunters Chase a 3m contest is next with ten runners.

16:35 No doubt the Hunters’ Chase was a benefit for the bookmakers with the first two home priced at 40/1 and 25/1 with the favourite only third and never looking to be a danger.

Top Dawn and Duxy Hill Lady were the early hares, with Henry’s Pride tucked in behind.

As they began their final circuit Va Vavoom put in a surge to take up the running, a position he held for almost the rest of the contest.   

Coat Of Honour and Henry’s Pride were settled in second and third spot but neither were in contention at the end.

The top two in the betting Breaking Silence and Ungaro made forward moves with the latter looking the better of the pair.

Va Vavoom still looked the likely winner jumping the last but Accumulus, who had been settled last for most of the contest was coming home with a wet sail, having passed all his rivals bar Va Vavoom.

However it wasn’t long until he flew past the long time leader, who just could not respond, and Accumulus came home 3½ lengths clear.

16:38 It looks as though I have been giving out the incorrect sponsors names most of the afternoon – it seems the sponsors have changed since I printed the racecards yesterday afternoon.

So all I will say is the final race is a Mares’ Bumper over the extended 2m.

16:55 Well there was a gamble in the bumper with Alan King’s seeming second string (if you look at jockey bookings) attracting good support fro 8/1 into 11/2.

The gamble was duly landed with Wayne Hutchinson making a perfectly timed run to hit the front inside the final furlong to come home an easy 4½ length victor.

17:00 Well that’s it from Huntingdon where the decision to race was fully vindicated – what do I know – which probably explains why I am not a clerk of the course.

No real stars and despite winning and Ruby Walsh’s reasons Sang Bleu was still disappointing.

Our next live coverage will depend on the weather and with luck we will hopefully be at Kempton for their national hunt fixture tomorrow.

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

Non-runners

15:10
1 Bothy (travel - 12:27)

15:40
11 Cash For Honours (going)

Results

13:40 Handicap Hurdle 3m 2f

1st 4 Sona Sasta 11/4 jf
2nd 9 Immense 7/1
3rd 2 Mr Mackay 9/1
9 Ran
Distances½ & neck
Fav winner & No 1 (4th)
Tote
Win £3.50
Places £1.30 £2.60 £2.70
Exacta £23.60
CSF £21.28
Tricast £150.46
Time 6' 37.6"

14:10 Handicap Chase 2m 4f 110yds

1st 1 Ringaroses 14/1
2nd 8 Costa Courta 33/1
3rd 4 Sarda 13/2
12 Ran
Distances 3¼ & ¾
Favs 6 & 11 9/2 (4th & PU)
Tote
Win £10.40
Places £2.60 £9.30 £2.30
Exacta £429.80
CSF £337.08
Tricast £3,250.32
Time 6' 27.7"

14:40 Handicap Chase 3m

1st 1 King Jack 14/1
2nd 5 Mr Newton 25/1
3rd 3 Tuscar Rock 12/1
11 Ran
Distances ¾ & ½
Fav 6 Magnetic Pole 3/1 (5th)
Tote
Win £17.00
Places £5.50 £15.20 £3.10
Exacta £746.50
CSF £304.12
Tricast £4,254.02
Time 5' 19.6"

15:10 Novices' Hurdle 2m 110yds

1st 3 Sang Bleu 4/7 fav
2nd 6 Stars Du Granits 6/4
5 Ran Nr 1
Distance ½
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.50
Places £1.10 £1.50
Exacta £1.88
CSF £1.86
Time 4' 00.1"

15:40 Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f 110yds

1st 10 Good For Blue 14/1
2nd 8 Cadoudalas 6/1
3rd 6 Stage Acclaim 33/1
12 Ran Nr 11
Distances 1½ & head
Fav 9 Galoshes 5/2 (UR)
Tote
Win £18.30
Places £4.10 £2.20 £9.10
Exacta £60.70
CSF £94.22
Tricast £2,696.97
Time 5' 13.5"

16:10 Hunters' Chase 3m

1st 5 Accumulus 40/1
2nd 9 Va Vavoom 25/1
3rd 7 Breaking Silence 15/8 fav
10 Ran 
Distances 3½ & 1¾
Fav third
Tote
Win £92.70
Places £13.90 £7.00 £1.10
Exacta £447.40
CSF £630.54
Time 6' 40.4"

16:30 Open NH Flat 2m 110yds

1st 15 Hurricane Milly 11/2
2nd 3 Brixen 15/2
3rd 13 Risaala 40/1
18 Ran 
Distances 4½ & 4
Fav 8 Kahlua Cove 7/2 (6th)
Tote
Win £5.30
Places £2.60 £2.00 £12.00
Exacta £46.90
CSF £43.28
Time 3' 58.7"